A Betrayal and an Uneasy Alliance (Part 1)
Posted on Fri Jan 31st, 2025 @ 1:35am by Survivor John ("Dodger") Smith & Survivor Amythyst & Survivor George Brooks
2,077 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Settling In
Location: Bookstore in Manhattan
Timeline: September 11, 2010 - 10:00 a.m.
Amythyst had packed a bag with the vegetables and a few eggs for the Infernals. She secured her home and had run several dry runs and no one had come close to the apartments. So now she made her way into the bookstore and looked around. She didn't know when they would be next visiting but she wanted to make sure they got the food. She placed the bag near the area where Dante's group had been in and then she took a seat to wait. If they came in, she would sneak out and leave the gift. Amy however did grab a couple of books for herself as she waited.
A minute maybe two and Dodger popped through the door. He did his name proud as he dodged between the aisles. His eyes alert as he looked for any sign of danger for the Infernals. Seeing none he signaled the group to come forward even as he moved deeper into the bookstore, wanting to get some books before the others could grab them for themselves.
Amythyst stopped in her flipping of a magazine when she heard movement. She placed a hand on the handle of her machete and turned so her back was against a book case.
Dodger continued to move through the bookstore cautiously Not yet seeing the gift of food Amy had left for them or Amy herself.
Dante had remained outside, watching the street to see if anyone was coming, worrying.
Amy waited and then slowly moved so she could see if someone was coming towards her but she crouched down.
George entered next, then moved along the opposite wall from Dodger. Though he had no real combat training, over the past weeks, he had started to build his sixth sense. He could almost feel that there was someone else in the bookstore with them. He held his goalie stick ready, either to block or attack.
Dodger continued to move through the store, his bat held in his hand ready to use it if necessary. Coming to the end of an aisle, he stopped seeing the bag for the first time. He stopped and stared at the bag. He looked quickly around but didn't see anyone, he knew George was in the store with him. He approached the bag cautiously and stopped. he would wait for George to join him before going farther and potentially getting into trouble for both him and the Infernals.
When the bald headed man, tattooed and rough looking, appeared on the opposite corner, Dante slipped inside, whistling a signal to George and Dodger as he entered. The windows were boarded up, so there was protection there, and the door's lock still worked. So he locked it now from the inside. If the worst happened, it wouldn't give them much protection but it was something at least.
Dodger heard the signal meaning at least potential trouble and to use caution. He slowly backed away from the bag and began to backtrack towards the front of the store.
George heard the signal as well, but, as he was closer to the windows, and could see the man through the spaces between the boards, he stayed where he was, kneeling down into the shadows, as he heard Dodger move back to the door they had used. At that moment, he caught sight of Amethyst, hiding herself, other other side of the room. He had thought that she was very pretty, when he first saw her, but, he knew Dante's rules, so he kept his thoughts to himself.
Watching, Amy shuffled back a bit more but she kept her hands in clear view. She had heard the whistle and knew Dante was close. She was only bringing the group supplies.
Speaking low, Dante addressed Dodger and George. "We were followed ... again," he said as he shook his head. "The bookstore isn't safe, at least not right now, so get what you need. We'll slip out the back and make for the tunnels."
George quietly moved over to where the bag was, hefting it up onto his back, he looked over at Amythyst. Whispering to her, he reached out his right hand and said, "You should come back with us. When it's safe, I'll help you get back to your home."
The girl gave a small smirk. "Home? I don't need that home. Tell Dante that bag is for him and the Infernals. Tell him, Amy will drop off food when she can." She slid from his view into the dimness of the shop, heading deeper in so not to be caught or seen.
Dodger let out a hiss of air through his teeth. "Again? How is that possible? He wondered before nodding his head to follow Dante's order.
"They want the hotel, I think," Dante said quietly. "Well really, the neighborhood. I think they're tracking us. At first it was different people but lately, this one guy keeps showing up." He shook his head. "Not safe where we are; we're going to have to move. I have an idea for a place but let's talk about it at home."
Dodger nodded at Dante's statement. "Agreed on not being safe and I'm interested on your idea for a new place for us." Though he was still thinking on how they were being tracked.
"C'mon, let's get out of here," Dante said as he headed toward the back door. It had been on his mind, the way they were being tracked, and there was, to his mind, only one way they could be. His expression darkened, flattened, as he considered it. Betrayal, putting the Infernals at risk, was not something he tolerated. Ever.
Dodger nodded and moved to join Dante as they exited the bookstore and get back home so they could figure where the Infernals go from here.
Amythyst climbed out the window she had opened as an escape route and crouched down behind a dumpster to wait for a while. She was careful not to be seen and tracked.
[Short While Later]
Rather than take them directly back to the hotel, Dante led them on a circuitous route and, when he was sure they were no longer being followed, took them down into the subway system. He sat down on the edge of the platform, legs dangling over the side, and waited for George and Dodger to join him.
"Gang activity is picking up," Dante said at last. "Looks like they're battling for territory and the hotels are being turned into headquarters." He kept his gaze on the tracks, watching a rat moving along the rail, and shook his head slightly. "One of them is interested in the hotel and all the food we've collected ... I think someone talked."
"Who Dante?" Dodger asked. "I can't believe any of the Infernals would talk and if it wasn't an Infernal, who? Had to be someone who knows us and our habits." He grew quiet as he had a sickening and disconcerting thought on who may have betrayed the group.
"The only ones who know anything worth telling would be Amethyst, Old Auntie and her people," Dante said. His expression had turned flat and unreadable, his reaction to this sort of thing.
Dodger sucked in a breath. "I don't believe it was Amethyst." Dodger answered. "I know I was rough on her when we first met. But I'm being open minded about her and I don't think she is type to rat us out. So that means Auntie or someone she knows."
Now that they had stopped moving, George moved over to Dante and handed him the bag he had picked up. "It definitely doesn't make any sense for it to be Amythyst. Not if she was bringing this stuff for us." He opened the bag, revealing the food and supplies that Amythyst had packed.
Also on top of the items was a note.
A
Dante nodded, his expression thoughtful, as he accepted and read the note for himself. He wasn't blind, and being the leader of the Infernals meant that he had developed an almost supernatural awareness for things that went on within his small sphere of influence which meant that he had seen Doger and George's reaction to Amethyst. Dating was not permitted within the Infernals for a reason but they'd kept to the rules so far.
Which meant that he had to think through the possibilities on his own since their defense of her could not be entirely trusted. Someone was talking. He knew the Infernals well enough to know that it wasn't one of their own and while Amethyst had some serious trust issues, he doubted that she would go so far as going to the gangs for protection. Which was probably at the heart of all of this.
Dante stuffed the note in his pocket as he considered that point. Protection. The gangs offered that to people who lived in their territory. You had to give them things to get it but if you had something the local gangs valued, you could wrangle a deal. So, who would be afraid of them? Afraid enough to seek them out?
Dante rose to his feet, pacing along the edge of the platform, as his agile mind sifted through possibilities, trying to find another answer, to the one he already knew. Because he'd seen her fear, hadn't he? The way she hid, the quiet way she moved so as not to draw attention, the way her house, her building, had been left relatively untouched. And the photos on the fridge of a bald man with tattoos, his arm around Old Auntie and a teenage boy.
"It's Old Auntie," Dante said after a moment. "She's got family in the gang. Remember those photos on the fridge? Don't know why I didn't put it together before. But I knew, didn't I? Somewhere in the back of my head, I knew I'd seen him before. Just didn't want to admit it. Stupid. Just stupid."
Dodger heard what Dante said about Old Auntie ratting them out. At first, he wanted not to believe it but then when he thought about what Dante said about the photos, he realized the Infernal leader was right. "Well, isn't that just a kick in the head, Old Auntie, a stinky rat." His tone a combination of bitterness and disappointment
"We'll leave tonight, once it's dark enough to cover our exit," Dante said. He had been a street kid long before the end of everything and he knew places upon places. Had to if he wanted to stay ahead of the local authorities. He remembered a small train station, two railroad cars sitting on the tracks, on a spur that was no longer used. "We'll check out the spot now and then get everyone settled there. Temporary until I can figure something else out."
Amy who, had, had to divert her path due to gangs had found herself following the group. "Dante," she said as she came around the corner. "Staying here is not ideal." She warned already heading past them for an exit.
George was silent as he listened to Dante and Dodger speak. As he had only recently joined the group, he hadn't really gotten to know Old Auntie or her fellow elderly adults. When Dante finished speaking, he finally spoke up. "Whatever you feel is best, to keep us safe, I'm with you, Dante."
Dodger spoke up. "The Infernals can't stay here, as this place is compromised so the sooner we move, the better it will be for all of us. We'll follow your lead. You're the boss.' Dodger told his friend.
"They'll be waiting up there too," Dante murmured. "Pincer tactic." He shook his head slightly, barely moving the long hair that hung down over his eyes. "Dodger, warn Amy. The tracks will be safer and I know a couple of places we can hide if it comes to that. Warn. If she wants to go her own way, let her. Then meet us in the tunnel." He gestured toward the direction they'd be going and hopped down onto the track, gesturing again, this time for George to follow. "Quiet now," he whispered.
To Be Continued
RSS Feed